Tuesday, October 28, 2008

The GOP leadership's increasing antagonism towards pro-lifers, Christians, and anyone else who believes in an actual limited government have me wondering out loud if it's time to start a new political party. Off the top of my head, I imagine there must be some basic party platforms which cannot be compromised:1) Pro-life. The party must be unashamedly and uncompromisingly pro-life. A Constitutional amendment must be added to define life as starting at conception. In the interim, a vote to expand abortion rights in any way is grounds for permanent dismissal from the party.

2) Limited government. While even the Founders argued over the limits of a limited government, there was little disagreement that the government must not spend more than it makes. While you can't predict the future, and thus government still might spend over-budget during an unexpected crisis, the spending plan cannot have a deficit built into the budget as is the case year after year. Voting for an annual budget that has a built-in deficit is grounds for dismissal from the party.

2a) Eventual elimination of spending any federal dollars on giveaways, handouts, welfare, or any other social programs. That is the responsibility of the church, and the local government if desired, who best know how to spend the money to help the truly helpless, and are best qualified to identify and prevent fraud.

2b) Privatization of health care. Currently, 40% of all health care dollars are spent by the federal government. That's right, the United States already has a 40% socialist health care system, by measurement of dollars spent. The federal government should get out of the health care business, and thus should privatize Medicare and Medicaid. Health care, like everything else in economics, is made more affordable by having an increased supply vs. demand. Government involvement by way of price controls and excessive regulation reduces supply. Health care is not a right, and, while there are many regulatory changes that are necessary to lower health care costs, the most important step is to remove the government from the equation. Other necessary changes include insurance reform and tort reform.

2c) Privatization of Social Security. This is so obvious, there's no need for explanation.

2d) Legislation, and eventually a Constitutional amendment, banning income and property taxes. Property taxes are immoral in that you are essentially renting your property from the government, and in reality have no real property rights. (Think I'm wrong? Refuse to pay them, and you'll be thrown off your own property.) The federal government will replace these taxes with a federal sales tax. Certain foods are tax exempt. The rich will pay more taxes than the poor, based on the fact that they buy more things. But everyone gets to decide how much taxes they want to pay by controlling their own spending.

3) Strong military. One of the Constitution's few specified requirements of the federal government is for national security. A strong military, with a strong civilian support system, is an uncompromising requirement.

4) Constitutionalist judiciary. There will be a litmus test for judges, and the test is very simple. You are either a judge (meaning, you interpret the laws based solely on the Constitution) or you are not (meaning, you deviate in any manner from the Constitution). If you are not a judge by this definition, you fail the litmus test.

5) Term Limits. A party member cannot serve more than 3 consecutive terms in the House of Representatives, and cannot serve more than 1 consecutive term in the Senate. Six consecutive years of service is enough. After that, you need to get back into the real world so you do not become immune to it. Joe Biden, John McCain, and Ted Kennedy are all the proof we need that "experience" in Congress is spelled c-o-r-r-u-p-t.

6) Constitutional marriage amendment. First legislation, then Constitutional amendment, defining marriage as being between one man and one woman. Marriage, by its very existence, is the foundation and preservation of society, the generator of generations, and is as immutable as 2+2=4. While the government cannot condone sodomy or elevate it to be equated with monogamous heterosexual intercourse within the confines of marriage, there should be no law that prevents two friends from hospital visitation, joint insurance policies, or any other legal contract in which two friends may participate. But government cannot provide special protections to persons identified exclusively by the fact that they sodomize another human being.

7) School vouchers. The corrupt public education system can be dramatically improved if it must compete for students. The middle class and poor should be able to afford the same school choices as the rich. School vouchers for private and parochial schools can subsidize the cost of education, and will create an environment where schools will have to compete for students (and thus their money).

First draft complete.

With that list, I'm sure you're wondering how you could possibly create a party big enough to win seats in Congress and actually be a force for change. If your thinking follows along those lines, then I encourage you to consider the principles listed above without regard to actual winning and losing. Either the principles above are worth fighting for, or they are not. If you believe they are not worth the cost, then I suggest you stay with your corrupt political party. As the great congressman and statesman Mike Pence said during the bailout debacle, "Duty is ours, outcomes belong to God." We are a force for change, whether or not we win congressional seats. We are a force for change, because, as the late great William F. Buckley said, we stand athwart history yelling stop! But we are not a force for change if we stay marginalized by a party that feigns passing interest in our core values.

The fight we must fight is for truth, justice, and liberty for all American citizens, regardless of creed, color, or religion. God will decide how many congressional seats we win.

Update: The American Independent Party (http://www.aipca.org/), and America's Independent Party (http://www.selfgovernment.us/), which are perplexingly not the same organization, but are now affiliated with each other, and somehow have nominated the same candidate to represent them for President (Alan Keyes), might be my new political home. Time to check them out!